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A high-profile inheritance dispute worth over 1 trillion Ugandan shillings ($260 million) has surfaced in the High Court, revealing significant tensions within one of western Uganda’s richest business families and raising concerns about the governance of family-run businesses.
The case, filed under Administration Cause No. 1046 of 2025, pits Alwyn Carl Musinguzi, the first-born son of the late businessman, against his mother, Peace Kesime Musinguzi, over control of the estate of James Garuga Musinguzi, a tea magnate, hotelier, and philanthropist who passed away earlier this year.
Alwyn, through M/S Abaine-Buregyeya & Co. Advocates, has lodged a caveat to prevent his mother from gaining sole administration rights to the estate.
“Let nothing be done in the matter of the estate of the late James Garuga Musinguzi… without notice to I, Alwyn Carl Musinguzi,” the filing states.
According to an affidavit seen by ChimpReports on Wednesday, Alwyn accuses Peace Kesime of "fraudulently and grossly under-declaring the deceased’s estate,” alleging that the real value exceeds Shs1 trillion.
He presents a list of assets, including:
Prime real estate: A three-storey mansion on Plot M63, Garuga Close, Mbuya (valued above Shs6 billion), a 20-acre country home in Rugyeyo with a 15-bedroom house (Shs20 billion), and a rental property on Serunkuma Road earning Shs20 million per month.
Land holdings: Over 152 titles under Garuga Properties Ltd, covering 210 acres in Garuga (each acre valued at approximately USD200,000), and more than 30 square miles of land through Incafex Ltd, including ranches in Ngoma and Kyankwanzi, worth about Shs50 billion.
Alwyn, through M/S Abaine-Buregyeya & Co. Advocates, has lodged a caveat to prevent his mother from gaining sole administration rights to the estate.
Agribusiness & industry: Majority shares in Kigezi Highland Tea Ltd, which has four factories across Kabale, Rukungiri, and Kisoro; shareholding in Kinkizi Development Co. Ltd (UShs 20 billion); a maize factory and over two square miles of land under Kamwenge Community Development Project Ltd (UShs 30 billion).
Tourism & hospitality: Savanna Resort Hotel Ltd, a 35-acre luxury property with an 18-hole golf course and private airstrip, valued at over UShs 40 billion.
Financial assets: Cash in bank accounts exceeding Shs5 billion, allegedly reserved for medical treatment abroad.
The affidavit also accuses Peace Kesime of concealing condominium apartments in Kyambogo (Shs2 billion), prime plots in Kololo, Najjanankumbi, and Hanlon Road (worth over Shs10 billion), and shares in Kanungu Broadcasting Services Ltd (Shs10 billion).
Alwyn argues that "all beneficiaries are adults and capable of jointly administering the estate" and claims his mother is "medically struggling and will not be able to manage the substantial estate.”
He also criticises her for not securing a Certificate of No Objection from the Administrator General, a requirement before administration rights are granted.
The Family Division of the High Court has yet to set a hearing date, but legal experts believe the case could become a precedent in Uganda’s succession law, particularly regarding disclosure obligations for family businesses and agribusiness holdings.
The increase in inheritance disputes in Uganda in recent years, involving tea estates, banks, and real estate, highlights a lack of clear succession plans in family-owned businesses.
“This is not just a domestic dispute – it’s a test of governance and accountability,” said a commercial lawyer from Kampala.
“The amounts involved are enormous, and the ruling will be closely watched across East Africa.”